“It’s the biggest thing we’ve ever seen,” said Todd Sullens, pastor of First Baptist Church Ruidoso, reported the Baptist New Mexican. As of Wednesday (June 19), the South Fork Fire had burned 16,335 acres and remained uncontained.
Sullens said the church has hosted a few of the thousands of weary evacuees from Ruidoso who have been stuck in slow-moving traffic while heading toward Roswell.
For now, the pastor is praying for the containment of the fire and the protection of the people in the village. “God always brings beauty from the ashes,” he said, the Baptist New Mexican reported. “We just need to be God’s hands and feet.”
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Some church members, Sullens said, have already lost property.
“It’s been quite a journey over the past couple of days, but we’re trying to encourage folks to keep their eyes on Jesus,” he said.
In addition, Sullens noted, they have about six New Mexico Disaster Relief volunteers coming into the area. They were planning to set up a feeding station in the parking lot of Capitan High School, located about 30 miles north of Ruidoso.
The Salt Fire to the southeast of Ruidoso has burned around 7,701 acres. Ruidoso, the community of Alto, Ruidoso Downs, and sections of the Mescalero Tribal Land have been evacuated in the face of the growing South Fork Fire and Salt Fire. Ruidoso Downs received the mandatory evacuation order on June 18.
All roads headed into Ruidoso were reportedly closed. Authorities had asked people to stay away from the area.
Disaster Relief efforts
Ed Greene, the Baptist Convention of New Mexico’s New Mexico Baptist Disaster Relief director, said one of the Red Cross shelters that received evacuees in Roswell June 18 saw about 300 people. In the other shelter, they had around 200 evacuees, but the number constantly shifts.
As of June 18, NMDBR had 20 volunteers and was expecting more. NMBDR is currently on standby, having been asked to provide meals. Emergency managers have also requested Disaster Relief chaplains to work in Red Cross shelters.
The cause of the South Fork Fire remained under investigation.
Ways to help
For more information on how you can help, check with your church, association or state Baptist convention to find out how they are contributing to this and other ongoing relief efforts in neighboring states, your state and beyond.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Full story was written by Johanna Nelson and originally published by the Baptist New Mexican. This article was edited by The Baptist Paper.
